I was editor of New Zealand Geographic magazine, then only a year old. The 150th anniversary of the signing of Te Tiriti was coming up, and I decided to devote an entire issue of the magazine to te ao Maori.

I felt it was important to include something about the unseen realm of wairua and tapu. I was told that the man I needed to see was Pa Tate. So I went to Hokianga to find him.

There was a tangi happening, the first I had ever attended.

The thing that sticks most vividly in my memory is that what the speakers were saying in the house, Tamatea, seemed to be rising like a subterranean force from the land beneath.

It seemed to be coming through the floorboards, up through the feet of the speakers, through their bodies and on to their tongues.

For someone wanting to learn about the unseen world, it was like jumping in the deep end — a baptism by immersion.

Afterwards, I sat down with Pa Tate and he told me this story ...

They rang me at quarter to five on the morning the old man [Sir James Henare] died.

Afterwards I sat for a while thinking about the old man. Then I rang a friend at Mitimiti.

"Harold, I can see the mullet jumping in the waves," I said.

"No, Father, no mullet. The fishing's bad at the moment."

"But Harold, I want some mullet to take to the old man's tangi. A koha from our people."

"Well, Father, if you want me to go out, I will. But I don't think there'll be any fish for the tangi."

Harold rang back later that morning. He had ten dozen mullet.

I say that was the old man's mana. Continue reading

• Kennedy Warne was the founding editor of NZ Geographic.

He had retired to his home of Motuti early in 2008 and had been suffering from cancer for some time.

Pa Henare was born in Rawene and affiliates to Te Rarawa. He was a priest of the for over 50 years.

He was also a Doctor of Philosophy and an award-winning author.

His funeral will take place on Wednesday beginning at 10am

Even in retirement Pa Henare remained very active in many areas in particular promoting awareness of New Zealand's first bishop, Bishop Pompallier, who is buried in the church at Motuti.

As a young priest he worked with the Te Rangimarie cultural group at Te Unga Waka marae.

He produced the sacred musical "Christ the Maori" which presented the life of Christ in song and dance that spoke to Maori hearts.

Pa Henare became a key contributor in the development of what he called "Maori Theology" and was awarded his PhD for his seminal work in this field.

He began to research deeply the connections between what is taught in the Gospels and the values that are treasured within his own Maori culture.

For many years he lectured in this area for the Catholic Institute of Theology.

The Bishop of Auckland, Bishop Patrick Dunn, said that Pa Henare also played a key role in the translation of our present liturgical texts into Maori.

"He was a brilliant orator," Bishop Dunn said, "always interesting and always laced with humour."

"There was a deeply spiritual side to his character, and this was always to the fore."

"His energy was endless and there was always some new project that he was undertaking."

"We will miss his creativity and the knowledge, insights and commitment with which his whole priestly ministry was imbued," Bishop Dunn said.

Source

• aucklandcatholic.org.nz
• maoritelevision.com
• Image: screenshot maoritelevision.com